2042 - Nurse Jackie: season six

We're six seasons in, so if you're reading this without having seen anything yet - go back and read my previous posts, 'cause there are SPOILERS AHEAD...

FINALLY, Jackie has gotten her ass kicked by all the shit she's put people through.  As much as it was fun watching Jackie be a total shit this season and just be a proper addict and fuck everyone else over - it was frustrating because usually she pulls a horseshoe out of her ass at the last minute.  It looks like heading into the seventh, and I hope final, season that they're working on an exit strategy.  Having watched Showtime continually renew both Dexter and Californication until they were creatively sucked dry I hope that they know what they're doing this time around and resolve this story in a way that pays tribute to it's golden days.  The show has meandered and stalled a bit, but where this season ends I feel in pretty good shape.

1854 - Nurse Jackie: season five

Oh Nurse Jackie.  You may very well be the most frustrating show that I like.  Here's the deal - you've got some great characters - the writing is often very strong - the stories… I don't know anymore.  It just feels like the show is spinning it's wheels and, especially following the finale of this season, does' t know what to do with it's premise anymore so it's starting to circle back to old territory.  The final beat of this season felt like a plot move, not a character one.  Shame.

Edie Falco is fantastic as Jackie.  Merritt Wever steals every scene she's in, but the new addition of a love interest was my high-light of the season and Adam Ferrara was pitch perfect.

I honestly just don't know how I feel about this show right now - mostly frustrated 'cause I know I'll come back to watch the next season, but I also know that my expectations are so low now.  If you haven't seen this absolutely start from the beginning - the first few seasons are pretty fantastic.  

1748 - Nurse Jackie: season four

This is a show that had one of the best pilots I'd ever seen, and then subsequently had an amazing first two seasons and then really really started to feel like it was repeating itself.  I recall not really enjoying the third season all that much mostly because I was just hating Jackie - she kept getting close calls and the universe kept giving her a get out of jail free card.  There were no consequences to her actions and it annoyed the shit out of me.  Enter Mike Cruz.  Adding Bobby Carnivale to the cast gave it a dynamic that it absolutely needed.  A show like this requires a character like him to make you want to root for Jackie again - someone whose head is so far up their ass that you can see what good she's doing again.  All of Jackie's past actions came back to bite her in this season and it made for a great (maybe best) season of the series.  If you haven't gotten around to this little gem just yet, do yourself a favour and get on it, just keep in mind that the third season, while not great, comes back around in the fourth.  Given how this season ends I have absolutely no idea what they'll do next - but I'll be there when it comes back!

1583 - Nurse Jackie: season three

So, being that this is the third season of this series I think it's safe to say that this blog will include some spoilers.  In fact I'll declare it up front - if you haven't watched the season finale of this season and don't want to ruin anything - stop reading..... now.

Okay.  Back to business.  I absolutely loved the first season of this show, the second as well.  I don't know what the hell happened to me while watching the third season but all of a sudden I realized "This is a group of horrible people.  I don't enjoy spending time with them" with the exception of Zoey (LOVE Zoey) and Dr. O'Hara.  The biggest problem is that Jackie is given almost absolutely zero consequences for her actions.  They dangled the carrot over us in this finale but then, FOR NO FUCKING REASON, her drug filled urine is thrown out.  WTF.  Talk about taking the wind out of the sails.  And yes, you can argue that Jackie's marriage breaking down is a something, but it's not a consequence.  When Kevin announces that he's cheated (nice touch) Jackie could have easily cleaned the slate and let it all out - instead she got what she wanted:  freedom.
I'm curious what will happen with the next season and so I'll tune in.  Clearly they've only hit the tip of the iceberg with Kelly and, although I hate the character, I'm curious what's next for Coop now that he's been embarrassed in such a major way.
So if anyone from Showtime is watching - take a cue from some other great series out there - fuck some shit up some more and make your characters accountable for their actions.  Your audience deserves it.
Nurse Jackie: Season Three

1543 - Nurse Jackie: season two

We devoured this season, as is the case when you find a show this good and are late to the game.  Now, of course, we'll have to wait a week between installments (once we catch up, that is).
This season went by in such a wonderful blur.  Losing the character Mohammad seemed like an odd choice, especially since he was more or less replaced by Sam - although Sam does offer a more interesting dynamic so I'll let that one go.  Zoie continued to be one of my favorite characters, and all the others shone as well.  I don't want to get into each one because I'd rather you just discover them yourselves.
This season was all about Jackie spiraling downward.  It's final episode had a perfect quote as someone told her, "Any one who knows you knows that they don't know you."  Jackie is a really wonderfully complex character and it's nice to start to see the cracks show.  Given the mess that's left at the end of this season I'm very curious where the show is headed - but more excited than anything.  If you're like me and late to this series, there is no time like the present to catch up!  You'll just wish there were more episodes to catch up on.
Nurse Jackie: Season Two  Nurse Jackie: Season Two [Blu-ray]

1534 - Nurse Jackie: season one

Obviously late to this show, although people raved about it from the very beginning - and now having blasted through the first season I'm a little embarrassed to not have discovered it earlier (however delighted that I've got a stack of it to catch up on!)
This could very well be one of the best written comedy series on television.  Set mostly in a hospital, mostly around horrible things, the tone of this show is just absolutely brilliant.  It's dark, but it's not morose.  It's over-the-top, but so goddamn real.  You believe that all of this can (and probably does) happen.  The pilot itself is probably one of the best pilots in the history of television.  It's amazing how they slowly reveal her character and all the complexities that are tied up inside of it.  The entire cast just adds so damn much to the ensemble.  It's hilarious and heartbreaking, and Edie Falco is a goddamn treasure.  She is so ridiculously good on this show, it almost makes you feel like she was wasting her time on The Sopranos as 'the wife' character when she's capable of so much more. 
I could write and write about this show - all of my favorite characters and interactions, best scenes, but I would just be spoiling you from discovering them on your own. 
If you're behind like me - catch up - seriously - this is not a show to be missed by lovers of great television.
Nurse Jackie: Season OneNurse Jackie: Season One [Blu-ray]  Nurse Jackie: Season One [Blu-ray]